When do finches leave Alabama?

The House Finch does not leave Alabama: it is reported all year, from 31% of checklists in the second week of September to 37% in mid February.

When is the best time to see finches in Alabama?

The House Finch is reported most often in mid February, on about 37% of Alabama checklists.

Which finches are in Alabama?

House Finch, Purple Finch, and Pine Siskin are reported regularly; the House Finch is the most common.

3 finch species in Alabama

When Do Finches Arrive in Alabama?

Photo: Daughter Dad, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

House Finches, Purple Finches, and Pine Siskins are the finches you are most likely to see in Alabama. The House Finch is in Alabama all year. It turns up on about 37% of checklists at its peak (mid February) and on 31% in its quietest week (the second week of September).

When to look

PresentAll year

Peak weekFeb 15-21mid February

Quietest weekSep 8-14the second week of September

Best: mid February. Here all year. Peak: on about 37% of Alabama checklists.

Janpeak season
Febpeak season
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Junpeak season
Julpeak season
Augpeak season
Seppeak season
Octpeak season
Novpeak season
Decpeak season

Darker months: more checklists report it. Outlined: peak month.

Finches in Alabama, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
House Finch	all year	–	Feb 15-21	–	37%
Purple Finch	Nov 1-7	Nov 15-21	Feb 8-14	Mar 22-31	9.0%
Pine Siskin	Nov 1-7	Nov 8-14	Feb 8-14	Apr 22-30	6.9%

House Finch
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin

Share of complete checklists reporting each species, by week (4 per month). Gaps: fewer than 10 checklists that week.

Frequency is the share of complete checklists in Alabama that listed the bird, 2016–2025. It is not a head count, and it follows where and when people go birding. How to read it.

Where in Alabama

Best counties for House Finch

Share of checklists at the peak

Houston CountyBest mid August · 92 checklists that week, 6,424 in all84%
Lauderdale CountyBest the second week of June · 132 checklists that week, 7,924 in all72%
Cullman CountyBest the second week of December · 21 checklists that week, 1,354 in all68%
Geneva CountyBest early February · 60 checklists that week, 3,203 in all66%
Madison CountyBest the second week of February · 638 checklists that week, 30,800 in all63%
Henry CountyBest mid April · 11 checklists that week, 338 in all62%

All finches in Alabama

4 species are reported regularly: 1 stay all year and 3 are winter visitors.

#	Species	Pattern	First arrivals	Peak	Peak %
1	House Finch	Year-round	all year	Feb 15-21	37%
2	American Goldfinch	All year, most in winter	Nov 22-30	Feb 8-14	31%
3	Purple Finch	Winter visitor	Nov 1-7	Feb 8-14	9.0%
4	Pine Siskin	Winter visitor	Nov 1-7	Feb 8-14	6.9%

Common questions

When do finches arrive in Alabama?: The House Finch is in Alabama all year. It turns up on about 37% of checklists at its peak (mid February) and on 31% in its quietest week (the second week of September).
When do finches leave Alabama?: The House Finch does not leave Alabama: it is reported all year, from 31% of checklists in the second week of September to 37% in mid February.
When is the best time to see finches in Alabama?: The House Finch is reported most often in mid February, on about 37% of Alabama checklists.
Which finches are in Alabama?: House Finch, Purple Finch, and Pine Siskin are reported regularly; the House Finch is the most common.